Lens guide, Kenya
Choosing Lenses for Your Glasses in Kenya: Which Upgrades Are Actually Worth It?
Once you’ve picked a frame, you’ll be offered lens upgrades: anti-reflective, blue light, photochromic, scratch-resistant, “driving” lenses. Some solve real problems; others have weaker evidence behind them than their marketing suggests. This guide explains what each one does, so you can decide what’s worth paying for.
The short answer
The “best” lens is the one made to an accurate prescription, in the right design for how you use your eyes, and fitted properly. After that, anti-reflective coating is useful for most wearers. Photochromic suits people who are often outdoors. Blue light filtering has not been shown to reduce screen eye strain.
Start with the prescription and lens design, not the coating
Coatings can’t fix a wrong prescription. Before choosing any upgrade, you need an up-to-date eye test and the right lens design:
Single vision for one distance: far, or reading, or screen
Progressive lenses for distance, computer and reading in one pair, usually after 40
High-index lenses to make strong prescriptions thinner and lighter
Lens coatings and treatments, honestly explained
Anti-reflective coating
What it does: reduces light reflecting off the lens surfaces. You get fewer “ghost” reflections, less flare from lights at night, and people see your eyes rather than a shine on your lenses.
Worth it for: most wearers, especially if you drive at night or spend time under bright lights. It doesn’t make your vision sharper; that comes from the prescription.
Scratch-resistant hard coat
What it does: makes plastic lenses more resistant to everyday scratches, which matters in dusty conditions.
Be aware: no lens is scratch-proof. How long lenses stay clear depends mostly on care. Clean with water and a microfibre cloth, never a dry shirt, and store your glasses in a case. More on scratch-resistant lenses
Photochromic lenses
What they do: darken outdoors in response to UV light, usually within a minute, and clear indoors over a few minutes. UV protection depends on the specific product. Many branded photochromic lenses are specified to block 100% of UVA and UVB, and we show you the spec before you order.
Be aware: most stay fairly light inside a car, because windscreens block UV. Full photochromic guide
Blue light filtering lenses
What they do: filter a portion of blue-violet light, typically around 10 to 25%, depending on the product. They often have a faint blue or purple reflection and can slightly warm colours.
What the evidence says: a 2023 Cochrane review of 17 trials found blue light filtering lenses probably make no difference to eye strain from computer use. The effect on sleep was unclear. There’s no evidence that blue light from screens damages the eyes, and screens give off far less blue light than daylight.
About sleep: evening screen light can make it harder to fall asleep. The better-evidenced fixes are night mode on your devices and less screen use in the two to three hours before bed.
Our position: we stock blue light filtering lenses and you’re welcome to choose them. We won’t tell you they’ll cure eye strain or headaches. If screens bother you, see the section below first.
“Night driving” lenses
What works: clear lenses made to an accurate prescription, with anti-reflective coating.
What we don’t recommend: yellow-tinted night driving lenses and clip-ons. A driving-simulator study found they didn’t help drivers spot pedestrians at night, and any tint reduces the light reaching your eyes. Night driving glasses guide
If screens tire your eyes, this is what helps
Screen eye strain is mostly about how we use screens: we blink less, and our eyes focus close up for hours. These measures have better support than blue light filters:
An accurate prescription
Even small uncorrected errors, including mild astigmatism, can cause strain over a long working day.
Lenses for screen distance
Computer or occupational lenses are focused for your screen distance. This is different from blue light filtering. Computer glasses explained
The 20-20-20 rule
Every 20 minutes, look at something about 6 metres (20 feet) away for 20 seconds. Blink fully and often.
Screen setup
Keep the screen about an arm’s length away and slightly below eye level, with brightness matched to the room.
What to expect from coated lenses
Reflections and tint. Anti-reflective and blue light coatings often show a faint coloured reflection. That’s normal, and it isn’t a sign of how well the lens works.
Smudges. Clear, coated lenses show fingerprints more easily. Some coatings include an easy-clean layer; ask if it’s included.
Heat. Don’t leave glasses on a hot dashboard. High heat can crack coatings.
Lenses at Ottico Eyecare
We supply lenses from Essilor, Zeiss and Kodak, alongside more affordable options. We’ll recommend upgrades only when they solve a problem you actually have, and tell you what each one costs before you commit.
Eye test KSh 300, free with glasses. Complete prescription glasses from KSh 2,999. Most glasses are ready within 3 hours; some lenses are made to order, and we confirm the collection time before you pay. Every pair has a 12-month warranty.
Westbay Mall, 1st Floor, Unit 109, Red Hill Road, Gachie, with free parking. See our full price list.
Lens questions
Are blue light glasses worth it?
The best current evidence says blue light filtering lenses probably don’t reduce eye strain from screens. If screens bother you, start with an eye test, lenses for your screen distance and regular breaks. You can still choose blue light lenses if you prefer them.
Do blue light glasses help you sleep?
The evidence is unclear. Evening screen light can affect sleep, but night mode and less screen time before bed are the better-supported steps.
What does “UV420” mean?
It’s a marketing term. Ultraviolet light ends at about 400 nanometres, and 400 to 420 nm is visible violet light. A “UV420” lens is claimed to block UV plus some violet light. The extra violet filtering hasn’t been shown to reduce eye strain.
What’s the best lens for computer work?
One made to your accurate prescription and focused for your screen distance. That could be single vision for the screen, or an occupational or progressive design if you’re over 40. Anti-reflective coating helps with reflections from office lighting.
What’s the best lens for night driving?
A clear lens with your correct prescription and an anti-reflective coating. We don’t recommend yellow or other tinted lenses for driving at night.
Are scratch-resistant lenses scratch-proof?
No. They resist everyday scratches better than uncoated lenses, but sand, grit and dry wiping can still scratch them.
Get lens advice based on your eyes
Tell us how you use your glasses, whether that’s driving, screens, outdoors or reading, and we’ll recommend only what helps. Westbay Mall, Red Hill Road, Gachie. Monday to Friday 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM, Saturday 10:30 AM to 5:30 PM.